Cheap chinese stepper drivers

[John11668]

Stepper drivers on ebay as low as £7-8 (some even from UK stock)
Have any of you been brave enough to use them ? what are your experiences .??

[JAZZCNC]

Provided they are run well below their rated Max voltage and current ratings they tend to be ok. ie: if Max voltage 36V run them on 24V or if 50V run on 36V-40V.

It's not exactly big bucks to try them is best way to look at it, but like most things in life you do get what you pay for.!. If these are for your Lathe then they will more than likely be fine because they are not working very hard.

[John11668]

Thanks Jazz
I thought they would be worth a try, and as you say no big bucks at risk, but just wondered if others had experience of them.

I still wonder if the suppliers over here buy them and flog them to us for £40plus

[JAZZCNC]

I still wonder if the suppliers over here buy them and flog them to us for £40plus

I'm sure some will do but often they say UK stock and they still end up coming from China.! . . . I've had this happen many times with stuff.
I'd put a small wager of a few Hob Knobs that those at £7-8 will have a Chinese name on the invoice and come from China.!

[Doddy]

They're okay, but as Jazz says be aware of the voltage limits on them, that can limit the performance you can expect from them. I've had problems with slow internals and fast pulses from a Chinese motion controller, but other than that they tend to work. DSP controllers do perform much better - but it's a call between a £7 and a £70 driver.

[John11668]

I get the point that they are coming from China , and from a chinese company but when something arrives in 3-4 days clearly it is not coming from Schenzen or Hong kong.
I feel that the chinese are putting stuff into stock over here , and in Czechoslovakia, and even Switzerland , in order to trade faster and avoid tariffs.
Will probably give the cheap stepper drivers a try. Not lot to be lost .

[JAZZCNC]

I get the point that they are coming from China , and from a chinese company but when something arrives in 3-4 days clearly it is not coming from Schenzen or Hong kong.

I wouldn't bet on it, I've had stuff come from Fred at BST in China within 4 days.! . . . But your right they are held in local warehouses but I regularly get stuff from China in 5-7 days so again that's not always the case.

[pippin88]

The leadshine clones (DM542 etc) are cheap these days and work well.

A 'digital' stepper is much nicer than older style drivers.

[John11668]

I have ordered 3 for £21 carriage paid .

If they work well then great , If they dont then not a lot lost.
The only failure I have ever had was from a well known UK supplier which cost me about £57 inc carriage (about £9) and vat .

Isnt it amazing how the Chinese can provide you with the goods, shipped across the world to your door , cheaper than a local firm charges for P and P